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PHILADELPHIA -- By this point of the regular season, it has become customary for Detroit Pistons fans to start perusing NBA mock drafts.

But going into tonight's game against the putrid Philadelphia 76ers (1-22), the Pistons (12-11) are only three games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Pistons actually are only 10th out of 15 teams in the jumbled East, but they are firmly in control of their goal of ending their six-season streak of missing the playoffs.

That goal won't be realized unless the Pistons start playing better on the road. They have lost eight of their last nine away games going into tonight (7, FS-Plus).

"I think we have to figure out a way to generate some energy on the road," forward Anthony Tolliver said after the latest road loss -- Monday night's 104-84 thumping at Charlotte. "We've had a tough stretch here, but that's the season. With 82 games in a season, you're going to have stretches where you've played quite a few games in a short amount of time. It's nothing new to us. We've been doing it all year. We've been struggling on the road just bringing energy, so we've got to figure that out."

The Pistons have been outrebounded two games in a row -- both losses -- and have fallen to seventh in the league in rebounding percentage. The Pistons are 1-5 in games they've been outrebounded.

But the 76ers are dead last in rebounding percentage, so that likely will be the key indicator tonight.

Coach Stan Van Gundy also has another motivational card to play: the Pistons were 1-3 against the 76ers last season. Philadelphia finished 18-64.